Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Tough draw for basketball's Boomers

Updated May 01, 2012 07:36:58

Australia's men's basketball team has avoided the might of the United States but still faces a tough task at the London Olympics after the draw for the pools was made in Rio de Janeiro on Tuesday.

The Boomers have been drawn in Group B alongside hosts Great Britain, European heavyweights Spain, the highly-rated China and Brazil, with another qualifier yet to be determined.

Defending champions the United States have been drawn in Group A alongside Argentina, Tunisia and France, with the Americans favourites to claim their fifth gold medal in six Olympic tournaments.

The top four teams from each group qualify for the quarter-finals, with the final set to take place on August 12.

In the women's draw, the Opals face a similarly tough task after they were drawn with hosts Great Britain, Russia, Brazil and two further qualifiers.

Australia has lost the last three women's Olympic finals to arch-rivals the United States, which inflicted a comprehensive defeat on the Opals in the gold-medal game in Beijing.

Men's tournament

Group A: Argentina, France, Tunisia, USA, two qualifiers

Group B: Australia, Brazil, China, Great Britain, Spain and qualifier

Women's tournament

Group A: Angola, China, USA, three qualifiers

Group B: Australia, Brazil, Great Britain, Russia, two qualifiers

Tags: sport, olympics-summer, basketball, england, united-kingdom

First posted May 01, 2012 06:37:00


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